As I have said before, I have managed to become addicted to physics games on my phone. As time goes one, I notice myself spending more time trying to find the best of the best in the genre. I have played many different physics game, some of the good, and some of them bad. Recently, I was introduced to a port of a game called They Need To Be Fed.

For the sake of full disclosure, I know that this game is a port from other platforms. It’s available on iOS, as well as on the PlayStation Portable. However, my only experience with it is on my Samsung Captivate. Thus, this review, and ultimately my opinions and thoughts on the game, are based only on that experience.

Now, on to the fun stuff. They Need To Be Fed is a plat former with a physics element to it. The idea is to collect a given number of diamonds in each level while navigating the obstacles and platforms that lead to a monster. The monster is hungry, and loves to eat the small character creature you control within the game.

While that concept sounds really simple, the catch to They Need To Be Fed is the physic integration. Each platform you use on your way to the goal has its own gravitational pull. The amount of gravity seems to vary with the size and shape of the platform, which makes some of the levels very challenging.

You often find yourself stuck behind an obstacle that can make progressing very difficult. There are spiked balls, exploding platforms, and even moving enemies. While I haven’t managed to beat the entire game, I do know that it is quite an accomplishment. You are rewarded for your perseverance with more levels to play as you collect more diamonds.

The controls in They Need To Be Fed are fairly well designed. You are given two directional buttons, left and right, in the lower right corner, with a single jump button on the left. While this is a nice multi-touch design, it sometimes lack a certain level of fines. I’m not sure if it just a side effect of the game’s design, but I find myself accidentally dying because I run in the wrong direction after a jump.

Overall, the design and gameplay of They Need To Be Fed is very nice. I enjoy the aesthetics, visuals, and even the music. I have played it for several days, and am currently really enjoying it. If you like platformers, then I highly recommend this one. However, it has a couple of issues with controls that make it awkward to play. I give it 4 out of 5 diamonds.

Game: They Need To Be FedDeveloper:YoYo GamesPrice: $0.96Score: 4/5 – Solid Gameplay with some minor control issues